Triaging elementary school illnesses

ODS just started K and has been periodically complaining about aches and pains, upset tummy, or headaches (generally not all at once)... he otherwise acts fine, accepts drinks of water or trips to the bathroom, or other fixes that seem mostly psychological before mildly complaining of a similar ailment a day or so later with same process repeating...

I think he is most likely fine (or mildly sick) but both DH (dear husband) and I can have periods of major health anxiety and in these times I get really worried that I might be missing something.

How do you all make the call to take your school age kids into the pedi? We can always call but the situations I’m unsure of are when the only indication of “sickness” is something DS (dear son) says - usually “my belly hurts/head hurts” with no change in mood, appetite, activity level, fever, etc.

Comments (3)

Adding: I am really worried about discounting what he’s telling me but my instincts say he’s fine and he’s also only five so I’m not sure how reliable a reporter he is of his physical state (ex: a relately gentle bump from his little brother can start him howling while he can bounce right back from a full speed collision with his friends... so highly mood dependent)...

I just look at my kids face and can tell if they are not well. Just this morning my 7 y/o tried to pull the “my tummy hurts” because he wanted to stay home. I suggested he eat. He went to school happily 25 minutes later. Sometimes kids also just like to complain.

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